You guys, some of the most wonderful things happened on my first vacation in Mexico. Outside of enjoying the relaxing beaches, wading in some of the clearest waters, and snorkeling for the first time, I discovered a newfound love for one of its main spirits: mezcal. I’ve always been a tequila girl, but when I was in Mexico *all* the locals were putting mezcal on a golden pedestal. And let me tell ya; they’re right. This liquor has a distinct personality, filled with a smokey coolness that definitely separates it from its sister spirit, tequila. If you haven’t tried this liquor before, fear not! I’ve whipped up some delicious citrus cocktail recipes that will help your taste buds get acquainted.
All you need is a bottle of mezcal and a variety of sliced citrus, flavored sparkling sodas, and a specialty “worm salt,” known as sal de gusano. (Yes, it sounds gross, but I swear it’s delicious!) I got mine from Mexico, but you can visit or call your local Hispanic grocers for your own supply. Today we’ll be making cocktails using four different citrus flavors: blood orange, grapefruit, orange, and lime.
Traditionally, mezcal is served with sliced oranges dipped in the sal de gusano. The idea is one would eat the sliced oranges in between sips of mezcal to cleanse the palate. It’s tangy, refreshing, and spicy all at the same time. I figured that if it goes well with oranges, it might go well with other citrus flavors, and no kidding — I think citrus mezcal cocktails are going to be the next big thing!
To start us off, I’ve got a grapefruit rosé concoction where I’ll be showing specific step-by-step photos and instructions. All other cocktail recipes will be simply listed afterward. I suggest trying them all to get the full range of flavors and tastes :)
Rosé Paloma Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients:
Makes 1 glass
- 2 ounces mezcal
- 4 ounces grapefruit soda
- 1 ounce rosé
- 1 ounce lime juice (freshly squeezed)
- 2-3 sprigs thyme
- worm salt
- grapefruit wedges
Instructions:
- Cut a lime wedge to wet the rim of your cocktail glass. Then, dip the rim into a bowl of worm salt.
- In a shaker, pour in mezcal, rosé, and lime juice.
- Shake for 10 seconds.
- Pour into a salt-rimmed and ice-filled cocktail glass.
- Top off with grapefruit soda.
- Garnish with a slice of grapefruit and a couple sprigs of thyme.
First things first, cut a lime wedge to wet the rim of your cocktail glass. Then, dip the rim into a bowl of worm salt. Set the glass aside as you prepare the drink.
Now for the fun part! In a shaker, pour in two ounces of mezcal, one ounce of rosé, and one ounce of freshly squeezed lime juice. Shake the mixture for 10 seconds, and pour into a salt-rimmed and ice-filled cocktail glass. Top the glass off with grapefruit soda, and garnish with a slice of grapefruit and a couple sprigs of thyme.
Enjoy!
Blood Orange Mezcal Cocktail RECIPE
Ingredients:
Makes 1 glass
- 2 ounces omezcal
- 3 ounces blood orange soda
- 2 ounces sparkling water
- 1 ounce lime juice (freshly squeezed)
- 2-3 sprigs thyme
- worm salt
- blood orange wedges
Instructions:
- Cut a lime wedge to wet the rim of your cocktail glass. Then, dip the rim into a bowl of worm salt.
- In a shaker, pour in mezcal and lime juice.
- Shake for 10 seconds.
- Pour into a salt-rimmed and ice-filled cocktail glass.
- Top off with blood orange soda and sparkling water.
- Garnish with a slice of blood orange and a couple sprigs of thyme.
Tangerine Orange Mezcal Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients:
Makes 1 glass
- 2 ounces mezcal
- 3 ounces tangerine soda
- 2 ounces orange juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 ounce ginger beer
- 2-3 sprigs thyme
- worm salt
- orange wedges
Instructions:
- Cut a lime wedge to wet the rim of your cocktail glass. Then, dip the rim into a bowl of worm salt.
- In a shaker, pour in mezcal and orange juice.
- Shake for 10 seconds.
- Pour into a salt-rimmed and ice-filled cocktail glass.
- Top off with tangerine soda and ginger beer.
- Garnish with a slice of orange and a couple sprigs of thyme.
Mezcalima Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients:
Makes 1 glass
- 2 ounces mezcal
- 2 ounces lime juice (freshly squeezed)
- 4 ounces ginger beer
- 2-3 sprigs thyme
- worm salt
- lime wedges
Instructions:
- Cut a lime wedge to wet the rim of your cocktail glass. Then, dip the rim into a bowl of worm salt.
- In a shaker, pour in mezcal and lime juice.
- Shake for 10 seconds.
- Pour into a salt-rimmed and ice-filled cocktail glass.
- Top off with ginger beer.
- Garnish with a slice of lime and a couple sprigs of thyme.
There ya have it — a citrus galore of mezcal cocktails for your next summer soirée.
Salud!
Travel Tip: If you’re interested in trying this magical liquor in its motherland, get ready to book tickets to Oaxaca. About 85 percent of mezcal is produced there, and I heard some wonderful things about the city from the locals. Apparently, there are *tons* of different mezcals, and you can do a whole mezcal tasting tour while you’re there :)
Show us your mezcal creations by tagging us on Instagram, and follow us on Pinterest for more recipe inspo!
Like this cocktail? Check out our Summer Cocktail Roundup for more recipes and inspo!
DIY Production and Styling: Karen Pham
Photography: Brittany Griffin
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